At least 90 people have died in the Valencia region, as confirmed by the regional government. In the neighboring region of Castilla-La Mancha, two more bodies have been recovered. Authorities fear that the death toll could continue to rise, and an intensive search is underway for many missing persons. The situation is particularly dire in the town of Paiporta, where Mayor Maribel Albalat has stated that there may be dozens of fatalities.

The situation is especially severe in the Valencia region, which is also very popular with tourists. However, other Mediterranean regions such as Andalusia and Murcia are also heavily affected. The heavy rains have flooded numerous roads, buildings, and fields, washing away streets and small bridges. Trees, cars, and even large trucks have been swept away by the floodwaters. In addition to heavy rain, there were hailstorms and strong gusts of wind. Residents in the Andalusian coastal town of El Ejido, near Almería, reported hailstones "the size of golf balls."

Roads, highways, and country roads have been closed, and air and rail traffic have been severely disrupted. On Tuesday, a high-speed train traveling from Málaga to Madrid derailed due to a landslide, fortunately with no injuries reported.

People sought refuge on the roofs of cars and houses that were completely surrounded by water, as shown in numerous videos in the media. In addition to firefighters and civil protection personnel, over 1,000 members of the military emergency unit (UME) are involved in the search and rescue operations in Valencia alone.

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez offered words of encouragement to those affected and promised swift assistance. "We will use all available resources. We will not leave you in the lurch," he said. He added, "All of Spain mourns with you." The European Union also offered support: "We have activated the Copernicus satellite system to assist in coordinating rescue teams. We have also offered to activate the EU Civil Protection mechanism," stated EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels.

The disaster was triggered by the weather phenomenon known as the "cold drop" (gota fría). This phenomenon frequently occurs in the Spanish Mediterranean region, particularly in September and October, and is the result of strong temperature differences between the sea and the air. It occurs when the first Atlantic low-pressure systems push moist, cold air over the warm Mediterranean.

The weather service Aemet in Valencia described the storm as "historic" and stated that it was the worst "cold drop" of the century in the Valencia region.